By Sarah Osman

This prequel is the rare instance of a horror film, in this case a prequel, that is better than its predecessor.

Orphan: First Kill, directed by William Brent Bell. Screening at AMC Boston Common 19 and AMC Liberty Tree Mall 20.

Isabelle Fuhrman in Orphan: First Kill.

With 2009’s Orphan, director Jaume Collet-Serra and writer David Leslie Johnson created one of the most distinctively campy cult horror films since the ’80s. Starring Isabelle Fuhrman as the titular orphan, the film followed Esther, an adorable little girl from somewhere in Russia who is adopted by a loving family. The adolescent wreaks havoc on their idyllic lives. The big twist? Esther isn’t actually Esther: she’s a 33-year-old named Leena who was born with hypopituitarism, which is why she looks so young. She’s escaped from a mental institution in Estonia and has already murdered multiple people, including the previous family that adopted her. The headshaking revelation was shocking, but the film was so gloriously gauche fans were smitten by its sheer absurdity, as well as for Fuhrman’s nervy performance.

Years later, a new director (William Brent Bell) and writer (David Coggeshall) decided to resurrect Esther by rewinding the clock in Orphan: First Kill. This prequel gives us much more of Esther’s backstory as well as details about what exactly happened to the previous adoptive family. Once again, Fuhrman stars as Esther and lightning has struck twice: this prequel is the rare instance of a horror film that is better than its predecessor. The initial Orphan was delightfully ridiculous, yet somehow it wanted to be taken seriously. The new team behind Orphan: First Kill has wisely dumped those smidgens of earnestness out the window. They lean into the camp, hard, in the same way the new Chucky TV series does.

Even though Fuhrman doesn’t look young enough to be a child, she conveys more of Esther’s emotions this time around. We first meet Esther (aka Leena) at the institute before she has managed to escape. The first 20 minutes or so of the film are dedicated to her break out. Esther carefully manipulates everyone around her; she skillfully exploits her sweet and innocent looks — before she bashes a guard’s head in. Fuhrman quickly vacillates from being touching to terrifying, and there is much more to the actress’s emotional palette. The escape itself is nonsensical, but it is this embrace of tomfoolery that makes the film so enjoyable.

After liberation, Esther disguises herself as the daughter of a couple who disappeared. We first meet her “mother,” played by Julia Stiles, in what feels like a complete rehash of the original film. Esther has a new bratty brother, Gunnar (Matthew Finlan) who immediately dismisses her in the same way that her later adopted brother does, and a caring father (Rossif Sutherland) who she falls in love with. As the family’s initial reactions to Esther played out, I feared that the film would make the same mistake many horror sequels do: telling the exact same story but with new characters. Thankfully, Orphan: First Blood takes a hard left turn halfway through, a shake-up that throws Esther, and the audience, for a complete loop. Rather than just being hellbent on destroying the family and seducing the father, Esther is forced to confront her insecurities, a complexity that Fuhrman seems to relish.. We see Esther panic, doubt herself, and long for love in a way that wasn’t presented in the original film. This complex twist ends up making Esther a more three dimensional figure. Furthermore, Stiles is a formidable foil for Fuhrman — the two share considerable chemistry.

Orphan: First Kill works as a standalone film, but it pays self-conscious homage to its predecessor. We learn where and how Esther began to paint black-light drawings and why she adores the song “The Glory of Love.” These subtle nods are a small wink at the fans of the original. Yet the references never go overboard – we still do not learn Esther’s entire background. In fact, learning more about that makes her tick would have been welcome. Still, this is a minor complaint that goes beyond the filmmakers intent: this is an exercise in pure camp, not a deep psychological exploration of a depraved soul.

When it comes to being the equal of its cult sister, Orphan: First Kill more than succeeds. The real shame is that, while more people will be able to see it on streaming, the film begs to be watched with a crowd on a big screen.There are so many outrageous lines and moments that beg for collective reactions, including amused sighs of disbelief. But isn’t that what movie nights are for?

Sarah Mina Osman is a writer residing in Wilmington, NC. In addition to writing for the Arts Fuse, she has written for Watercooler HQ, Huffington Post, HelloGiggles, Young Hollywood, and Matador Network, among other sites. Her work was included in the anthology Fury: Women’s Lived Experiences in the Trump Era. She is currently a first year fiction MFA candidate at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. When she’s not writing, she’s dancing, watching movies, traveling, or eating. She has a deep appreciation for sloths and tacos. You can keep up with her on Twitter and Instagram: @SarahMinaOsman